Airport Security Essay

1551 Words7 Pages
Hashim Malik The TSA and the Question of Airport Security Air transport is arguably the most popular mode of transport of modern times. Apart from occasional reliability issues, increasing costs and sub-standard accommodation, people now have another frustration to deal with while using air transport. This frustration presents itself in the form of airport security. Because of some devastating and frightening past events, most notably the events of September 11, security during and before air travel has become a major issue worldwide. Recent debates and news concerning air travel has created a deep-seated fear of this mode of transport, and more and more people are being made aware of the consequences of having firm airport security. Busy and popular airports and international airlines try to come up with the best measures to make sure that air travel is safe and reliable as well as quick and convenient, but people still have solid reservations and opinions about this modern day concern. There was a time when security checks at airports were merely a formality. Metal detecting equipment and body searches were minimal and people didn’t need to worry about their right to privacy, and more specifically, being asked to take their clothes of during their travels. Airports were not security-free but at the same time they did not feel like entrances to maximum security prisons. Just to put things in the right perspective, in the United States, before 2001, there was no dedicated organization or government agency that looked after and managed security for air travel. I found this hard to believe as I had never realized that airport security was a relatively low-priority issue. It was not until September 11, 2001, that the Transportation Security Administration was created. This change brought TSA officers, highly advanced metal detecting equipment, sniffer dogs and sometimes
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